The school in the past

Here's a text about the school in the past....

First of all at the school in the past the libraries were small in a dition there weren't computers, smartphone, tablet and interactive white board, so it was difficult to study without these instruments. The classes were full of students, in each class there almost forty students. The students used to have a good hand writing, were respectful with teachers, there were strict rules for example the students talk with the classmate, they must respect the teachers and during the lessons they cannot ate a chewing gum. If they didn't respect these rules, the teacher punished them getting hit with the ruler, a come on sit them in a corner for a short time with a hot on their head. The students won't to school on a foot or by bike, there wasn't male teacher especially in the primary school, the students are can uniform, they used to have only a book and they wrote with a ink pen. The desks were of wood, they were very eavy , the classes was just for boys and for girl. They used the abacus because didn't exist the calculator. Finally they learned by heart.

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First of all, IN  the school OF the past  libraries were small.
In ADDIdition, there weren't ANY computers, ANY  smartphoneS, ANY tabletS OR interactive whiteboardS, so it was difficult to study without thOSE instruments. 

Classes were full of students, in each class there WERE almost forty students.  Students used to have a good handwriting, and were respectful TO teachers, 

There were strict rules, for example  students DIDN'T USE TO  talk with theIR classmateS, they HAD TO respect teachers and during the lessons they COULDN'T  eat  OR  CHEW gum. If they didn't respect thOse rules, the teacher punished them, hitting them  with a ruler, or forcing them to sit in a corner for a short time with a HAT (a DUNCE CAP) on their head. 

Students USED TO GO to  school on  foot or by bike, there were  male teachers for boys and female teachers for girls,  especially in the primary school, 

WHAT's MORE,   students WORE uniformS, they used to have only a book and they wrote with aN ink pen. 

The desks were MADE  of wood, they were very heavy , classes were just for boys or  for girlS. They used the abacus because theRE WERE NO  calculators . 

Finally students  learned mainly  by heart.

LITERARY DEVICES

Alliteration

Three grey geese in a green field grazing, Grey were the geese and green was the grazing.

Mike’s microphone made much music

Sara’s seven sisters slept soundly in sand.

Hyperbole

Well now, one winter it was so cold that all the geese flew backward and all the fish moved south and even the snow turned blue

“I’ve told you a million times”

 “It was so cold, I saw polar bears wearing jackets”

I had a ton of homework.

Metaphor

The rain came down in long knitting needles

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

He drowned in a sea of grief.

Her voice is music to his ears.

The classroom was a zoo.

Tom’s eyes were ice

The moon is a white balloon.

Onomatopoeia 

Pitter, patter. Pit. Pit. Patter. Splitter, splatter, down comes the rain

The buzzing bee flew away.

Personification 

The fire ran wild.

The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky.
The bees played hide and seek with the flowers as they buzzed from one to another.
The ocean danced in the moonlight.

He did not realize that his last chance was walking out the door.

Similes

My love is like a red, red rose.

Last night, I slept like a log.

My love for you is as deep as the ocean

She is as thin as a toothpick.

Litotes

He is not the cleverest person I have ever met.

New York is not an ordinary city.

The ice cream was not too bad.

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How to express wishes in English (past, present and future)

SCHOOL IN THE PAST and SCHOOL IN THE FUTURE

Compare the school in the past to the school in the present

Consider the following points:

·         Libraries (small, card catalogues)

·         No computers, no interactive whiteboards in the classrooms

·         Number of students per class (a lot …few???)

·         Among school subjects……good handwriting

·         Practising writing

·         Strict rules….ex no talking to the deskmate, respecting teachers, no chewing gum

·         Serious punishment…students..getting hit with a ruler or having to sit in a corner for a time with a hat on your head (ex dunces hat)

·         How did students go to school??? On foot, by bike, by car, by bus???

·         No mobiles, mp3, Ipod…to communicate or listen to music

·         More male teachers , especially in primary school

·         School uniforms

·         Ink pens

·         Just one book

·         No languages

·         Heavy, wood desks

·         Learning by heart……memorize poems

·         Classes just for boys and just for girls

·         Abacus

·         No  computers, tablets, smartphones to be used for extra information 

       Imagine the school in the future

I      

Romeo and Juliet-themes

ROMEO and JULIET and the theme of LIGHT

THE BALCONY SCENE

SOFT IS THE SUN

ROMEO imagines that it  is Juliet herself who produces the light as though she were the rising sun

THE ENVIOUS MOON

ROMEO says that the moon is jealous of this sun because she’s more beautiful

O That I were a glove….

ROMEO says he would like to be a glove on Juliet’s hand to be able to touch her cheek

Two of the fairest stars…till they return

ROMEO imagines that Juliet’s eyes are in conversation with two stars

What if  her eyes….doth a lamp

ROMEO says that if there were stars in place of Juliet’s eyes their light would be shamed by the brightness of her skin

Her eye in heaven….it were not night

ROMEO says that if Juliet’s eyes replaced the stars in the sky, the light they shone would make the birds think it was day

O speak again, bright angel…to gaze on him

ROMEO compares Juliet’s voice to that of an angel who makes mortal men turn their eyes to the sky

ROMEO and JULIET and the theme of REALITY vs APPEARANCE

THE BALCONY SCENE

Juliet is aware of the problems that arise from the quarrel between the two rival families.

She wants Romeo to give up his family name, saying that if he does not she will do so.

She seems to be REALISTIC and UNCONVENTIONAL.

JULIET says that a rose by any other word would smell as sweet

Therefore she reflects upon the symbolical order of language and its links to reality. Her reflection shakes the medieval code since she tries to separate the name from the thing…

REMEMBER one of the main themes is appearance vs reality

In this passage Juliet begins by comparing the function of Romeo’s family name, Montague, to that of the names of objects. She concludes that Montague, unlike hand or foot does not refer to any specific object but is arbitrary and actually meaningless.

Then she reflects on the values of names in general. A rose retains its essential characteristic even if it’s not called rose; indeed it could be called anything at all.   

She points out that names do not correspond to the things they name.

Macbeth's Monologue (Roman Polanski 1971).avi

A creative activity Oliver Twist's diary

Students have been asked to write a passage of a diary considering  a dramatic period in the life of the famous character Oliver Twist, created by Dickens.
 In particular, they have been asked to write Oliver's thoughts and fears during his period in a workhouse.
As always some of them have written very interesting passages....they seem to be writers themselves!!!

Oliver Twist

Dear diary,

another sad day has already passed.

All my mates are sleeping, I tried to do it, but I can’t sleep.

So, I decided to write to you.

Here it’s always the same story: hard work and not enough food.

My mates and I, we are always very sad, and we’d like to go out from here and have a family to live with.

Sometimes I think how much it will be fantastic, if I leave this workhouse.

But it’s not possible.

I hate this place. People are bad here, too.

For example, yesterday I had a terrible stomachache and I couldn’t do a good job like other days.

So the directors decided to punish me, and they didn’t give me any food all day.

I hope I will go away from here one day, to live finally like a free person.

Oliver Twist’s diary

Dear  diary,

As always yesterday we ate only that little soup and we did our work. While I was working, I had to light the fire to make the machine work.

Suddenly, the flames  fleared  up and the first thing I made was to escape from that room and so also the other boys followed me. I immediately called the master. He was very upset  to see that fire. He called some people to help him to put out the fire.

Luckily, no one is hurt. The master told the directors the story and they were nervous and very angry. In the evening, before we went  to bed, the directors walked from room to room. All that they said was:”If no one is going to say who is the culprit  then tomorrow you’ll have to do more than the usual work”. I was scared of someone could say my name.

Fortunately, no one said that the culprit was me because they didn’t  see me when I started the fire. I didn’t try to set a blaze, it was just an incident.

Creative writing Detective Jones

Some more stories about Detective Jones

Story 1
A MYSTERY FOR DETECTIVE JONES

A man was found dead in a forest last night at 10 pm. He was stabbed, but there  was no evidence to help detective James to solve the case. Five people under suspicion: Mr. Jack ‘s brother, the butcher, the gardener, his wife and his mistress.

FIRST INTERROGATION: Jack’s brother

Detective Jones : Where were you last night?

Jack’s brother: I was at home

Detective Jones: What were you doing?

Jack’s brother: I was watching TV

Detective Jones: Is there someone who can prove it?

Jack’s brother: No, unfortunately, not. I was alone.

SECOND INTERROGATION: The butcher

Detective Jones: So, where were you last night?

The butcher : Why? What happened? I don’t understand…

Detective Jones: Answer the question, please !

The butcher : Ok. I was in the store. I was cutting some meat..

Detective Jones: Is there someone who can prove it?

The butcher : Yes, there were some customers.

Detective Jones: It’s so strange…there is someone who said there was anyone.

The butcher : Really? And who is it? It’s a liar! I’m telling the truth…

Detective Jones: This person said the shop was closed…

The butcher: I’m sorry…I was in the store….it’s true…but there weren’t any customers….I was gambling with some old friends…..

Detective Jones: Who are they?

The butcher: Mr. Thompson and Mr. Jackson. They are butchers, too.

Detective Jones: Ok, we’ll check. You are free to go, but stay nearby.

THIRD INTERROGATION: The gardener 

Detective Jones: Where were you last night?

The gardener: I was in the garden, I was cutting the grass.

Detective Jones: And..what happened?

The gardener: I noticed something strange: there was a pair of shoes on the grass, behind a tree..It was a man, he was probably dead. Then I called the police.

Detective Jones: Is there someone who can prove it?

The gardener: I don’t know, I was alone.

Detective Jones: Ok. We’ll check. Go for now, but stay nearby.

FOURTH INTERROGATION: Jack’s wife

Detective Jones: Where were you last night between 9 and 11 p.m.?

Jack’s wife: I was playing poker with some friends…

Detective Jones: Where?

Jack’s wife: I …I … I don’t know really, I don’t remember

Detective Jones: What? You didn’t remember where you were ?

Jack’s wife: I was drunk, I don’t remember. …

Detective Jones: So you don’t have an alibi?

Jack’s wife: No…no…I didn’t mean it….I…I…I was at the butcher’s store.

Detective Jones: Is there someone who can prove it?

Jack’s wife: The butcher, Mr. Thompson and Mr. Jackson.

Detective Jones: Ok. You can go. Thanks.

FIFTH INTERROGATION: Jack’s mistress

Detective Jones: Where were you last night between 9 and 11 p.m.?

Mistress: I can’t tell you where I was.

Detective Jones: Why?

Mistress: It’s private, I can’t say anything.

Detective Jones: So…you want to be accused of homicide…if you don’t have an alibi, I can’t do anything else.

Mistress: Wait! Ok.. I was with Mr. Jack. We were at my house. He went away at 9 p.m. because he told me that he had to do something very important with his brother...

Detective Jones: And...what?

Mistress: I don’t know, he didn’t want to tell me anything…

Detective Jones: Is there someone who can prove it?

Mistress: No, but I am innocent , believe me! I loved him…

Detective Jones: Ok, you can go for now, but stay nearby.

Detective Jones spent the night in his office to reflect upon the case. The day after, he called the suspects.

Detective Jones: Finally I found the murder! I reconstructed the events of that night. Mr. Jack went to his mistress’s house at 8 p.m. and went away at 9 a. m. to go to the appointment with his brother. They met at 8.30 p.m. in the forest behind the trees. They argued because Mr. Jack blackmailed his brother for a crime he committed in the past. But when he found his fiancée had a secret relationship, stabbed him. Then he escaped because he was afraid of what he did. 

Detective Jones arrested Mr. Jack’s brother for the homicide of his brother. 

Story 2 

Yesterday two old people were having a walk, when they found a dead man.

It was in the forest near the city.

I went to the crime scene and all was strange. The body didn’t have any signs of gun, but I’m quite sure that it was a murder.

I think so because I knew Mr Jack, and I don’t think it’s a suicide.

He was the mayor of the city, he was married to Mrs.Smith, a fantastic woman and they have a three-year-old daughter, Julie.

His brother:

• Where were you yesterday at 7.00 pm?

Yesterday, when I finished work, I went to my brother’s house. I had to talk with the gardener because I want to change my garden.

• How was the relationship with your brother?

My father died only a month ago, and it was a difficult time for us, because we loved our dad. Since that moment, my brother changed. He became grumpy with me, but I didn’t understand the reason.

The butler:

• What did you do yesterday at 7.00 pm?

Yesterday Mrs Smith went to a friend’s house, so she asked me to keep after Julie, so I stayed all the time at home.

• Do you think it’s a suicide?

No, I don’t think so. He was a fantastic person, and I don’t think he wanted to leave his young daughter.

The gardener:

• Where were you yesterday at 7.00 pm?

Yesterday was my free day, so I stayed all the evening in a restaurant with my friends. You will ask my friends, if you want.

• Was Mr Jack strange these days?

No, he wasn’t. He was like other days, always sad for his dad, but kind and helpful.

His wife:

• Where were you yesterday at 7.00 pm?

Yesterday I was at my friend’s house, we decided to pass an evening together . If you want, you will ask my friends or the butler.

• What do you think about your husband’s death?

I think that it’s terrible, I’m sure it was a homicide, because he never did a thing like this.

His mistress:

• Where were you yesterday at 7.00 pm?

Yesterday was my husband’s birthday, so we went to a fantastic hotel near the sea.

• Did Mr.Jack’s wife know your relationship?

No, she didn’t. I loved Mr.Jack and now I’m very sad for all that happened, I don’t know what to think about all this.

I think that his brother killed Mr.Jack.

I suppose he wanted all his dad’s money for him, so he decided to kill his brother.

He choked him with his hands while they were having a walk round the forest.